Adjustable brace

ABSTRACT

An improved reconstructed pallet rack structure wherein one of the diagonal braces is replaced, the diagonal brace having first and second members which are telescopically arranged and secured to the other in a desired position, a first bracket mounted on either a first upright post or a horizontal beam and a second bracket mounted on the second post, the arrangement being such that a longitudinal center line of the brace passes through, at each end, a point of joinder between a post and a beam.

FIELD OF THE INVENTION

The present invention relates to a pallet rack structure and moreparticularly, relates to an adjustable brace suitable for use inrepairing a pallet rack structure.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

Pallet racks are well known and are widely used in warehouses whereintypically they extend in a plurality of rows for substantially theheight of the building with space being provided between the rows forfork lift trucks to operate. The fork lift trucks will remove palletsfrom the shelves as required for the shipping of the product thereonand/or for further processing.

More recently, the trend has been to open large warehouse or “big box”stores to the public. In such stores, pallet racks are used to displaythe merchandise.

Inherently, there are dangers in such a system and safeguards againstcollapse must be provided. Numerous accidents have occurred over theyears and injuries and death have occurred as a result of the collapseof the pallet racks.

To date, most of the safety concerns have centered around the variousdesign criteria to ensure that the pallet racks are capable of acceptingthe loads to which they are subjected. The conventional pallet rack isof a knock down design wherein the vertical posts are provided withhorizontal beams which are secured to the posts. Diagonal bracingextending between posts may then be provided to further ensure a rigidstructure.

While the engineering of the pallet racks provides sufficient safety fornormal use, the racks are very susceptible to damage. Inherently, theloaded pallets must be lifted onto the racks by fork lift trucks. Due tothe often limited spaces, an accident wherein the fork lift truck willcollide with one of the vertical posts occurs sufficiently frequently.With the very high loads which the pallet racks carry, this is adangerous situation and any post even slightly damaged has to bereplaced.

In order to replace a damaged post, the load of pallets must be removedfrom the structure and the rack disassembled. After new rack componentsare installed, the pallets must be reloaded on the structure. As willreadily be understood, this is both an extensive and time consumingprocess.

It has been suggested in the art that pallet rack repair systems can beprovided and which systems overcome the above disadvantages. An exampleof such a system is shown in Canadian Patents 2,232,178 and 2,280,645.

While the above mentioned pallet repair systems function very well,frequently there is a need to replace a diagonal brace which extendsbetween two levels of the pallet. However, to merely provide aconventional diagonal brace which is secured to the vertical posts doesnot necessarily add sufficient rigidity to the structure.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

Accordingly, it is an object of the present invention to provide adiagonal brace for use in the repair of pallet rack structures.

According to one aspect of the present invention, there is provided in apallet rack structure comprising four corner posts, a plurality of beamsextending between the corner posts, a plurality of diagonal bracesextending between the corner posts, the improvement comprising at leastone of the diagonal braces extending between first and second cornerposts, the diagonal brace having first and second members, the first andsecond members being telescopically arranged, means for securing thefirst and second members together in a fixed position, a first bracketmounted on the first post, and a second bracket mounted on the secondpost, the arrangement being such that an extended longitudinal centerline of the brace passes through, at each end, a point of joinder of apost and a beam.

According to a further aspect of the present invention, in a pallet rackstructure comprising four corner posts, a plurality of beams extendingbetween the corner posts, there is provided a plurality of diagonalbraces extending between the corner posts, the improvement comprising atleast one of the diagonal braces extending between first and secondcorner posts, the diagonal brace having first and second members, thefirst and second members being telescopically arranged, means forsecuring the first and second members together in a fixed position, afirst bracket mounted on a beam, and a second bracket mounted on a post,the arrangement being such that an extended longitudinal center line ofthe brace passes through, at each end, at a point of joinder betweenpost and a beam.

According to a still further aspect of the present invention, there isprovided in a method of repairing a pallet rack structure wherein areinforced base portion is installed on the pallet rack structure, theimprovement comprising the step of replacing a diagonal brace above thereinforced base portion, including the steps of attaching a firstbracket to one of a horizontal beam or a vertical post, attaching asecond bracket to a vertical post, securing a telescopic brace to thefirst and second brackets, the arrangement being such that an extendedlongitudinal center line of the brace passes through, at each end, apoint of joinder between a post and a beam.

The improvements of the present invention are designed to be used in therepair of pallet racks. As aforementioned, such pallet rack repairsystems are shown in Canadian Patents 2,280,645 and 2,232,178, theteachings of which are hereby incorporated by reference.

In the prior art patents, typically a portion of a front and optionallya rear post are replaced depending upon the damage and the desiredresults. The present invention is designed to be used to replace thediagonal brace immediately above the repaired section. In thisarrangement, there is always a horizontal beam which is replaced.

According to the present invention, the diagonal brace is arranged suchthat an extended longitudinal center line of the brace passes through apoint of joinder of a post and beam. This occurs at both the upper andlower extremities of the brace.

The lower end of the brace may be secured either to a post oralternatively, to a beam. In either case, the arrangement of the bracketis such that the extended longitudinal center line of the brace extendsthrough the point of joinder of the beam and post.

In the case of the upper bracket, it is always secured to the post.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

Having thus generally described the invention, reference will now bemade to the drawings illustrating embodiments thereof, in which:

FIG. 1 is a perspective view of a replacement brace according to thepresent invention;

FIG. 2 is an end elevational view of a portion of a pallet rackutilising the replacement brace of the present invention;

FIG. 3 is a side elevational view of a bracket secured to a verticalpost of a pallet rack;

FIG. 4 is a cross sectional view through a post having a bracket securedthereto;

FIG. 5 is an end elevational view of a portion of a pallet rackutilising the replacement brace as a horizontal beam; and

FIG. 6 is an end elevational view of use of a replacement brace in apallet rack.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

Referring to the drawings in greater detail and by reference charactersthereto, there is illustrated in FIG. 1 a replacement brace assemblywhich is generally designated by reference numeral 10.

Replacement brace assembly 10 includes a first bracket 12 which, in theillustrated embodiment, is shown at an upper end of the replacementbrace assembly 10. First bracket 12 has a back wall 14 with an aperture16 formed therein. Extending outwardly from back wall 14 are a pair ofside walls 18.

Replacement brace assembly 10 includes a first brace member 20 and asecond brace member 22. First brace member 20 and second brace member 22are sized to be in a telescopic arrangement with first brace member 20fitting within second brace member 22. A bolt 23 extends through bothfirst brace member 20 and second brace member 22 to hold the bracemembers in the desired position and having the desired length.

At the lower end of second brace member 22, there is provided a secondbracket 24. Second bracket 24 is similar to first bracket 12 and thusincludes a back wall 26 having an aperture 28 formed therein and a pairof side walls 30.

As shown in FIG. 2, a typical pallet rack will include vertical posts40, and 42 along with horizontal beams 44, 46. In the embodiment of FIG.2, a replacement brace assembly 10 is secured between vertical posts 40and 42. As may be seen in FIGS. 3 and 4, a plate member 48 is placed onan exterior wall of vertical posts 40 and a bolt 50 passes throughvertical post 40 and through aperture 16 of back wall 14 and is held inplace by means of a nut 52. A similar arrangement is provided at thelower end of second brace member 22.

First brace member 20 is secured to first bracket 12 by means of abracket bolt 32 which extends through the side walls 18 and throughfirst brace member 20.

As will be seen in the Figures, a center line 56 of first brace member20 and second brace member 22 extends such that it passes through thecenter of vertical post 40 where horizontal beam 44 meets the firstvertical post 40. A similar arrangement exists at the other end wheresecond bracket 24 is arranged such that the center line of the bracemembers also terminates proximate the center of vertical post 42.

As seen in FIG. 5, the brace of the present invention may also be usedas a horizontal member with brackets 12 and 24 being secured to posts 40and 42.

In the embodiment of FIG. 6, bracket 12 is secured to a horizontal beamB in lieu of a vertical post.

It will be understood that the above described embodiments ofillustration only and that changes and modifications may be made theretowithout departing from the spirit and scope of the invention.

I claim:
 1. In a pallet rack structure comprising: four corner posts; aplurality of beams extending between said corner posts; a plurality ofdiagonal braces extending between said corner posts; the improvementcomprising: at least one of said diagonal braces extending between firstand second corner posts, said diagonal brace having first and secondmembers, said first and second members being telescopically arranged,means for securing said first and second members together in a fixedposition, a first bracket mounted on said first post, and a secondbracket mounted on said second post, the arrangement being such that anextended longitudinal center line of said brace passes through, at eachend, a point of joinder of a post and a beam.
 2. The improvement ofclaim 1 wherein each of said first and second brackets comprises abracket back wall, first and second bracket side walls extendingoutwardly therefrom, an aperture formed in each of said bracket sidewalls, and a locking member extending through said apertures in saidside walls and an end of one of said members forming said diagonalbrace.
 3. The improvement of claim 2 wherein said locking membercomprises a nut and bolt.
 4. The improvement of claim 2 wherein saidmeans for securing said first and second members comprises a nut andbolt extending through said first and second members.
 5. In a palletrack structure comprising: four corner posts; a plurality of beamsextending between said corner posts; a plurality of diagonal bracesextending between said corner posts; the improvement comprising: atleast one of said diagonal braces extending between first and secondcorner posts, said diagonal brace having first and second members, saidfirst and second members being telescopically arranged, means forsecuring said first and second members together in a fixed position, afirst bracket mounted on a beam, and a second bracket mounted on a post,the arrangement being such that an extended longitudinal center line ofsaid brace passes through, at each end, at a point of joinder betweenpost and a beam.
 6. The improvement of claim 5 wherein each said firstand second brackets comprises a bracket back wall, first and secondbracket side walls extending outwardly therefrom, an aperture formed ineach of said bracket side walls, and a locking member extending throughsaid apertures in said side walls and an end of one of said membersforming said diagonal brace.
 7. In a method of repairing a pallet rackstructure wherein a reinforced base portion is installed on said palletrack structure, the improvement comprising the step of replacing adiagonal brace above said reinforced base portion, including the stepsof attaching a first bracket to one of a horizontal beam or a verticalpost, attaching a second bracket to a vertical post, securing atelescopic brace to said first and second brackets, the arrangementbeing such that an extended longitudinal center line of said bracepasses through, at each end, a point of joinder between a post and abeam.